Movable stairway.



P. E. 'BESSLER.

J MOVABLE STAIRWAY.

ABI LIOATIOH FILED JULY 5, 1912.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914;

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1716 V W #2 g flMZZZZJJZf/ Inventor,

by I r I I Attorneys.

F. E. BESSL'ER'.

MOVABLE STAIRWAY.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 8, 1912. 1,088,056.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

:E (if 43 o A $277M 37 (Z Attorneys.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

P. E. BESSLER.

MOVABLE STAIRWAY.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, 1912.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEETB.

MMJUZW Witnesses Inventor,

/f v I Attorneys.

ETNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK E. BESSLER, F AKRON, OHIO.

MOVABLE STAIRWAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

Application filed July 8, 1912. Serial No. 708,376.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. BESSLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Movable Stairway, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in movable stairways of the type shown in Patent No. 897,870, granted to the applicant September 8, 1908, and that shown in his copending application filed the 29th of November, 1910.

The primary object of the invention is to simplify and improve the construction shown in the above mentioned patent and application. In said application and patcut, the applicant provides a hinged panel, a stairway slidably arranged on said panel, said stairway being assisted in its movement by a cable, on the end of which a weight is arranged, means being provided in the application for assisting the closing of the panel by said cable. It has been found in the installation of movable stairways constructed in accordance with the patented structure as well as the structure shown in the co-pending application, that the positioning of the weight and the arrangement of the cable necessitates various changes in the building construction which are not only inconvenient to make, but which increase the cost of the installation of the stairway. Therefore, the present invention contemplates certain changes in structure by which the Stairways may be easily and economically installed, there being certain other changes which facilitate the opening and closing of the stair- A further object' of the invention is to so construct the support for the panel, that the same may be adjusted laterally.

In the drawings :-Figure 1 is a side elevation of the stairway in extended position. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view partly in section of one of the supports for the panel. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the stairway in its open position. Fig. 4 is a view showing the panel closed. Fig. 5 is a side elevation, showing the stairway folded. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the drum which controls the cable which assists in raising and lowering the panel. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the adjustable supporting plates shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the latch member which locks one of the standards of the hand rail in a vertical position. Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section of the spring controlled drum on which the cable is wound, and which assists the stairway in assuming its closed position. Fig. 11 is a transverse section of the drum and its supporting mechanism. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of one of the plates which supports the panel. Fig. 13 is a sectional view, showing the latch member for holding the stairway in closed position. Fig. 14 is a detail view of said latch member. Fig. 15 is a detail view of the reel supporting bracket and the latch member which holds the same against displacement. Fig. 16 is a detail view of the connection between the link and cable.

In the drawings, 10 designates the hinged panel which forms a closure for the hatchway or scuttle and which is lowered to the position shown in Fig. 1 to open said hatchway. Arranged on either side of the frame F is a supporting device for the hinged panel 10. This supporting device consists of links 12 and 14, the link 12 being secured to a bracket 15 which is arranged on the panel 10. The links 12 and 14 are pivotally connected at the point 17, by a set screw 18 which is removable when it is desired to sep arate the links, the link 12 terminating in a hook 12 which contactswith the links 14 to hold the link in the position shown in Fig. 1. A shaft 20' is supported by a bracket 62 formed integrally with and offset from a bracket 21 which is secured to the frame F. This shaft 20 supports a spring drum 21 shown in section in Fig. 6 to which drum is secured a cable 22. Bracket 21 is provided with an offset end 24 through which passes an adjusting screw 25 by means of which the L-shaped bracket 26 may be adjusted to regulate the slant of the panel 10. It will be noted by this construction that the screw 25 may be rotated to raise or lower the link 14, the upper end of the link 14 being connected to the bracket '21 as shown at 20. The bracket 21 is provided with an extension 27 which is embraced by the strap 28, shown in detail in Fig. 15, the bracket in this manner being held upon the frame F against displacement. The cable 22 is secured at the point 32 to the bracket 15, the function of said cable being to assist in the closing of the panel 10, the links 12 and 14 holding the panel in a depressed position and supporting Fig. 9 is a detail view of said latch.

the same while in said position. It will be noted, however, that when the links 12 and 14 are folded the tendency of the cable 22 will be to close the panel 10. In order that the bracket 21 may be adjusted laterally the transversely slidable jamb strip 11 which the bracket overhangs may be moved until its inner edge 21 is flush with the portion 33 of the scuttle frame F. The jamb strip 11 is held against displacement by means of guide plates 35 shown in Figs. 7 and 3, these plates 35 being of a length to allow the amb strip to assume the position mentioned.

The structure above described and coinprising the jamb strip 11 and coacting partsis duplicated upon both sides of the panel. 10.

Slidably arranged on the panel 10 is a stairway 36 which consists of the vertical beams 37 and the steps 38, the movement of the stairway being facilitated by rollers 39 which are supported by the panel. The beams 37 are formed with longitudinal slots 40 and arranged on the panel 10 is the L- shaped securing devices 41 which extend within the grooves 40 of the beams. Carried by the beams 37 are the latch members 41 which contact with the portions 42 of the members 41, thus locking the panel 10 and stairway 36 together when the stairway is in its open or extended position.

, Pivotally supported adjacent the ends of the stairway 36 and secured to one of the side beams 37 are hand rail supporting members 43. The upper member 43 is provided with a groove 44 which terminates in a flared opening 45, the groove 44 receiving a roller 46 which is supported by a bracket 47 carried by the panel 10. The hand rail 48 is pivotally connected to the supports 43 and the lower support is provided with one portion of a latch as shown in detail in Fig. 8. This latch consists of a casing 49 secured to one of the beams 37 and housing a shaft 51, said shaft being rotated by means of a key and being provided with a loop 52 which when the shaft is rotated embraces an L-shaped extension 53 carried by a bracket 54 which is supported by the member 43. This construction effectually holds the member 43 against folding when the apparatus is in its extended or open position.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings, the apparatus is shown in its folded position. In assuming this position, the latch mechanism 52 in F ig. 3 is released and the stairway moved upward, being assisted in its upward movement by a cable 55 which is wound on a spring drum 56 shown in detail in Figs. 10 and 11. The drum 56 is supported within a casing 56 which is formed with flanges 57, these flanges embracing the floor 31 of the frame F, the casing having flanges 53 which support the shaft 59 on which the drum 56 is mounted, the drum housing a plurality of springs 61, the partitions 61 of the drum separating said springs, and the shaft 59 being provided with a square end which extends through the slots 59' in the flanges 58. A ratchet wheel 59 is arranged on the shaft 59 and is engaged by a pawl 73 secured to the casing 56, the pawl and ratchet mechanism holding shaft against turning. A wrench may be applied to the square end of the shaft 59 to wind the springs which actuate the drum 56. The cable 55 which is wound upon the drum 56, as before stated, assists the stairway 36 in its upward sliding movement, the rollers 39 facilitating the movement of said stairway 36. It will be noted that as the stairway is moved upward, the upper of the members 43 will assume the position shown in Fig. 5 and in assuming this position, the roller 46 which is supported by the bracket 47 will leave the groove 44 formed in the member 43, assuming a position about midway of the hand rail 48, the links 12 and 14 folding when the device is in its closed position.

In order to hold the stairway 36 in its elevated position on the panel 10, the latch member 41 shown in detail in Fig. 14 and pivoted to the beam 37 as the stairway is forced upward, rides over the upper bracket 41 which is secured to the panel and interlocks therewith to prevent a downward movement of the stairway.

- The many advantages of an apparatus of this character will be clearly apparent as it will be noted that the same is not only efficient in practice, but the various parts are such as may be easily and economically manufactured, the apparatus being readily set up without materially changing the building construction. 7

The transversely adjustable jamb strips 11 constitute an abutment for the panel 10, to limit the upward movement of the panel. The portions 27 of the brackets 21 constitute abutments, engaging the jamb strips 11 to hold the j amb strips 11 in the path of the panel 10. The jamb strips 11 serve as supports for the brackets 21.

What is claimed is:-

1. In a device of the class described, a frame; a panel hinged to the frame; a jamb strip slidable upon the frame and constituting an abutment for the panel; a bracket adjustable on the frame, transversely of the jamb strip; means for securing the bracket to the frame whereby the bracket will constitute an abutment for the jamb strip and hold the jamb strip in the path of the panel, the bracket resting upon the jamb strip, whereby the jamb strip will constitute a support for the bracket; and a connection between the bracket and the panel.

2. In a device of the class described, a frame; a panel hinged to the frame; a jamb strip slidable upon the frame and constituting an abutment for the panel; a bracket adjustable upon the frame transversely of the jamb strip; means for securing the bracket to the frame, whereby the bracket will constitute an abutment for the jamb strip and hold the jamb strip in the path of the panel, the bracket resting upon the jamb strip, whereby the jamb strip will constitute a support for the bracket; pivotally connected links united with the panel and the bracket, to limit the downward swinging movement of the panel; a spring actuated drum mounted upon the bracket; and a flexible element assembled with the panel and with the drum; the bracket and the jamb strip being transversely movable to aline the flexible element with the drum.

3. In a device of the class described, a frame; a panel hinged to the frame; a jamb strip mounted upon the frame and constituting an abutment for the panel; a bracket secured to the frame and constituting an abutment for the jamb strip, the bracket being extended transversely of the jamb strip to a point adjacent the outer edge of the jamb strip; a second bracket slidable upon the first specified bracket; an adjustable connection between the brackets, comprising a screw rotatable in one bracket and threaded into the other bracket; and links pivotally connecting the second specified bracket with the panel.

4:. In a device of the class described, a frame; a panel hinged to the frame; a jamb strip mounted upon the frame and consti' tuting an abutment for the panel; a bracket secured to the frame and constituting an abutment for the jamb strip, the bracket being extended transversely of the jamb strip to a point adjacent the outer edge of the jamb strip; a second bracket slidable 'upon the first specified bracket; an adjustable connection between the brackets; and links pivotally connecting the first specified bracket with the panel.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence 01": two witnesses.

FRANK E. BESSLER.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. 131mm, CHAS. EssELBURN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patent: Washington, D. C. 

